Single shot popgun



July 9, 1968 s. c. BUTLER ET AL. 3,391,486

SINGLE SHOT POPGUN Filed OCT'. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-$11661'. 1

Arran/Vix July 9, 1968 s. CQ BUTLER ET Al. 3,391,486

S INGLE SHOT POPGUN Filed Oct. 18, 1965 3,391,486 SENGLE SHUT PPGUN Stanley C. Butler, 15272 Penn Ave., San Lorenzo, Calif.

94580, and De Loss L. Marsh, 212 Revere Ave., Hayward, Calif. 94544 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 496,832 6 Claims. (Cl. 46a-175) ABSTRACT GF THE DSCLSURE A single shot popgun is disclosed which has a piston rigidly mounted within the gun, a sliding member which is capable of being slid towards and away from the piston, a cylinder `within the sliding member engaging the piston and a shuttle seal within the sliding member capable of being forced into the end of the cylinder remote from the piston. A spring is provided for rapidly moving the sliding member towards the piston in order to build up air pressure which will cause the shuttle seal to blow out of the end of the cylinder, producing a significant noise.

This invention is directed to a single-shot popgun, and particularly to a popgun which provides a realistic, resounding pop upon the actuation thereof and which provides a toy of realistic appearance and sound.

It is an object of the toy industry to provide toys which simulate the appearance and sound of functional devices, but usually do not provide the full function of the structure which the toys simulate. This is particularly true in the field of toy guns. Toy guns are presently available which have a very realistic external apperance, usually at a smaller scale than the fully functional device. A number of different sound-making methods are available in different types of present day toy guns, but none of these sound-making devices provide a realistic sound which permits them to even reasonably closely simulate the sound of a real gun. The detonation of caps produces a well-known sound, but this sound is no realistic. Furthermore a supply of caps must be provided and they are consumed in the sound-making process. Other guns ernploy the discharge of compressed air, but the discharge is arranged in such a manner that it does not create realistic sound. Still other guns employ strictly mechanical devices for the making of the popping sound of the popgun. In these guns, springs act against ratchets or the like, to produce non-realistic sound.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a single-shot popgun which produces a realistic popping sound.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a popgun which is of realistic exterior appearance, and which produces a realistic sound upon the actuation thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a single-acting popgun which is cocked for popping by a conventional, realistic action of the gun mechanism and which is discharged to create the realistic popping sound, the discharge being caused by actuation of the conventional, realistic trigger of the gun.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a single-acting popgun which is economical to manufacture, realistic of appearance and sound and which operates in the realistic manner so as to provide a popgun of long life and trouble free operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the study of the following portion of this speciiication, the claims and the attached drawings in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the single-shot popgun of this invention;

liafiglfib Patented July 9, 1968 Wce FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational section of the popgun ot FIG. 1, with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIG. 2 showing the mechanism in the cooking position;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational section taken through a singleshot popgun which forms a lfurther embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a section generally similar to the section of FIG. 5 showing the mechanism in the cocking position; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken generally along the line '7-'7 of FIG. 5.

As an aid to understanding this invention it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a single-shot popgun. The single-shot popgun preferably has an exterior configuration similar to that of a full-sized gun. Furthermore, the single-shot popgun preferably has operating characteristics similar to the conventional fullsized gun. Interiorally of the popgun, the sound-making structure includes a compression cylinder. The compression cylinder is mounted to slide upon a piston so that the piston forms a closure for one end of the compression cylinder. The piston is relatively stationarily mounted within the popgun structure, and the cylinder is slidably movable with respect to the piston. The springs urge the cylinder axially of the piston in such a direction as to urge the cylinder to slide over the piston to a point Where the piston is substantially completely inserted within the cylinder. A shuttle seal is positioned to be insertable into the other end of the cylinder. The shuttle seal is of elastomeric material, but is sutiiciently rigid so that it strongly engages within the cylinder. Trigger means retain the springs compressed with the cylinder positioned so that the piston is engaged only a short distance within the cylinder. Upon release of the trigger, the springs drive the cylinder in such a direction as to compress air between the shuttle seal and the piston. When the air pressure is built up to an adequate point, the shuttle seal is discharged out of the cylinder. This discharge produces a realistic pop. The shuttle se-al is maintained in line with the end of the cylinder. Conventional cocking means, realistic to the type of gun for which the popgun is the model, is connected to move the cylinder in a direction to compress the springs. The last portion of motion causes reinsertion of the shuttle seal within the cylinder. This same last portion of motion relatches the trigger to retain the cylinder in this position. Thus, the popgun is ready for another actuation.

This invention will be understood in greater detail by reference to the following portion of this specification wherein the drawings are discussed in detail. Referring now to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. l through 4, the popgun of the preferred embodiment is generally indicated at 10. The gun 10 comprises a stock 12, receiver 14, and a barrel 16. The gun 10 and the stock, receiver and barrel of the gun 10 are preferably scale models of a conventional full-sized gun. Thus the exterior configuration provides a realistic appearance.

The receiver 14 contains the sound-making mechanism of the gun 10. As is better seen in FIGS 2, 3, and 4, the receiver 14 has a hollow interior. Extending into the hollow interior, and mounted on the exterior of receiver 14 are posts 18 and 20. Post 18 is provided to carry piston 22. As is best seen in FIG. 3, post 18 has a circular opening therein so that reduced diameter portion 24 of piston 22 tits within the opening in post 18. Thus, the shoulder of the major diameter of piston 22 rests up against the face of post 18 and the piston 22. is cantilevered thereon. Piston 22 is positioned substantially axially and is directed rearwardly within gun 10.

The rearward end of piston 22 has a resilient piston seal 26 which is positioned within cylindrical bore 23 of cylinder 30. Preferably the major diameter of piston 22 is preferably just smaller than the interior diameter of cylindrical bore 28 so that the cylinder 30 is guided upon piston 22. The piston seal 26 may be an integral portion of piston 22, or it may be a separate, elastomeric part secured thereto.

Post supports guide rod 32. Guide rod 32 is axially aligned with piston 22 and is supported in cantilevered fashion upon the posts 20. Guide rod 32 extends forward and is directed toward piston 22.

Sliding member 34 carries cylinder 30 and is preferably integrally formed therewith. Furthermore, sliding member 34 carries guide tube 36. Guide tube 36 has an interior bore 38 which is just slightly larger than guide rod 32, so that guide tube 36 is guided upon guide rod 32 and the entire sliding member 34 is guided upon guide rod 32 and piston 22. Furthermore, the entire distance between the posts 18 and 20, as compared to the overall length of sliding member 34, is such that at either end terminal position of the sliding member 34, the sliding member 34 is supported upon both the guide rod and the piston. The two terminal positions are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and illustrate this point.

Sliding member 34 thus comprises cylinder 30, guide tube 36 and central body 40. Central body 40 has a cylindrical interior bore 42 of larger diameter than the cylindrical bore 2S. The two bores are connected by means of frusto-conical section 44. The bore 42 is in reality a hemi-cylindrical bore which is open at its top into sounding chamber 46. Strengthening and guide bar 48 extends across the upper, open side of the bore so as to strengthen the structure. Bar 48 is relatively narrow and thus does not substantially obstruct the discharge of air from the interior bore 42 into the sounding chamber 46.

Shuttle seal 50 is a resilient member having a circular seal lip 52 which is adapted to resiliently engage within and grasp within the cylindrical bore 28. Shuttle seal 50 has a cylindrical shoulder 54 at its outer end to serve to guide shuttle seal 50 within bore 42. Furthermore, depression 56 in the rear face of shuttle seal 50 serves as a guide which permits entry of the nose upon guide rod 32 so that shuttle seal 50 can be engaged by guide rod 32 and moved into proper position, as shown in FIG. 3. It is important to note that shuttle seal 50, while of resilient material, is suiiiciently rigid to reasonably strongly grasp within the bore 2S by means of its seal lip 52.

Trigger 58 has a conventional digit engagable portion extending below the receiver 14. Trigger 58 is engaged around guide rod 32 by means of a relatively loosefitting hole in the trigger 58. Furthermore, dog 60 engages behind the forwardmost of the two posts 20 to maintain that portion of trigger 58 adjacent forward post 20. This structure is arranged in such a manner as to permit substantial pivoting of the trigger about the lower end of forward post 20. Compression coil spring 62 is positioned around the outer surface of guide tube 36. Spring 62 engages against the rear of central body 40 and against ring 64 on trigger 58. Spring 62 thus urges sliding member -34 to the left, as is shown in the drawings, and rotationally urges trigger 58 in a clockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 2. Sear 66 is positioned upon trigger 58 in such a position as to be engagable with latch 68 on central body 40. When sliding member 34 is moved to the right, to the position shown in FIG. 3, sear 66 engages with latch 68 to retain sliding member 34 in that position, until the trigger 58 is actuated. Furthermore, when the sliding member 34 is moved to the rightmost position, guide rod 32 extends part way through the openings defined by cylindrical bore 42 so as to engage in depression 56 in shuttle seal 50 and thrust the shuttle seal 59 .tl Short distance into cylindrical bore 4 28. In this position, seal lip 52 engages within the bore 28 and relatively firmly holds the shuttle seal 50 in place.

Lever '70 is pivoted in receiver 14 at pivot 72. Lever 70 is bifurcated within the interior receiver 14 and has fingers 74 and 76 which are shaped to engage upon the iat front face 7S of central body 40. Thus, actuation of lever 70 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to position shown in FIG. 3 causes movement of sliding member 34 to the right, with compression of spring 62, thrusting of shuttle seal into engagement with bore 28 and latching of the sliding member 34 by means of trigger 58.

When the trigger 53 is actuated, the sliding member 34 is released by the disengagement of sear 66 from latch 68 and is moved forcefully to the left, as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This motion causes compression of air between the front of piston 22, where it is sealed by piston seal 26, and the shuttle seal 50 which is engaged in the bore 2S. As the sliding member 34 approaches its leftmost position, which position is shown in FIG. 2, the pressure within bore 23 rises to a point where it is able to drive shuttle seal 50 out of the bore 28 into the chamber dened by bore 42. When it is driven out, the compressed air within bore 28 is discharged into bore 42 and escapes out of the upper half into sounding chamber 46. This explusion of shuttle seal 50 and the expansion of the `air compressed in bore 28 causes a realistic pop which closely resembles the noise created by the discharge of the full-sized, power-operated gun. It is to be noted that the concave recess 80, which extends past seal lip 52, aids in the maintenance of shuttle seal 50 within bore 28. The compression of air within the concave recess expands the seal lip for strong engagement until the pressure reaches the desired point.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7, a further embodiment of the single-shot popgun of this invention is generally indicated as gun 82. The gun 82 is in the form of a hand gun and particularly in the form of a revolver. Again the gun 82 is a reduced scale model of a regular, full-sized gun. The gun 82 thus comprises a handgrip 84, a barrel 86 and receiver 88. The gun 82 is in the form of a simulated revolver, and thus the receiver 88 resembles the structure which incorporates and includes the revolver drum. Wall 90 adjacent the juncture between the barrel and receiver supports -piston 92. Again, a reduced diameter of the piston 92 passes through a suitable opening in the wall 90 and supports the piston 92 axially aligned within the gun 82. The shoulder on the piston, due to the reduced diameter, engages upon the wall 90 to maintain piston 92 in position. Piston 92 is provided with seal lip 94 which engages within the bore 96 of cylnder 98. Cylinder 98 is preferably integrally formed as part of sliding member 100. Sliding member 100 has guide lugs 102 and 104 respectively formed on the top and bottom thereof. Guide rods 106 and 10S are respectively secured within receiver 88 and extend front to back therein parallel to the axis of the gun and to the axis of piston 92. Guide lugs 102 and 104 have openings therein to respectively receive guide rods 106 and 108. Coil compression springs 110 and 112 are -respectively positioned around guide rods 106 and 108. These springs respectively engage behind guide .lugs 102 and 104 so as to urge sliding member 100 to the left, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Spring 110 engages on its right end on the interior of the receiver 8S While spring 112 engages with its right end upon trigger 114. Trigger 114 has ring 116 loosely engaged around guide rod 108 and retention dog 11S is engaged around the guide rod support post 120. Thus, compression of spring 112 causes trigger 114 to move into the position shown in FIG. 5. Trigger 114 has sear 122 which is adapted to engage around guide lug 104 to retain sliding member 100 in its rightmost position, as shown in FIG. 6.

Again, the sliding member 100 contains la hemi-cylindrical bore 124 which is of larger diameter than the cylindrical bore 96. The -two bores are joined by a truncated conical section 126. Bore 124 is open at its top aaai/rse into sounding chamber 12S, except for the strengthening and guide bar 136. Sliding member 100 has an opening in its rear end 'for entrance of guide roo` 132 which is mounted within the rear end of receiver 83.

Shuttle seal 134 is identical to shuttle seal 50 and has sealing lip 13d which is adapted to engage within bore 96. Similarly, cylindrical shoulder 133 aids in maintaining the alignment of shuttle seal 134 within the bore 124. Preferably, shuttle seal 134 has a slight recess in its rear face to accept the nose of guide rod 132 to aid in alignment of the shuttle seal 134.

Hand grip 84 is pivoted to the receiver on pivot pin 140 and is bifurcated on its upper end to provide ngers 142 and 144. These iingers are adapted to engage the iiat front face 146 so that when hand grip 84 is pivoted about pin 140 from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6, sliding member 100 is thrust to the right, as shown in these figures. When it reaches its end position it is latched by sear 122 engaging upon guide lug 104. Furthermore, as the sliding member 100 approaches this position, guide rod 132 enters through the rear end opening in sliding member 100 and engages the rear of shuttle seal 134. It centers in the depression in the rear of the shuttle seal and as the sliding member 100 moves to the right, thrusts the shuttle seal 134 into the bore 95 of cylinder 98. Since the sliding member 100 is latched in this position, hand grip 84 can be pivoted back into the position as shown in FlG. 5 without releasing the sliding member 100. Ths puts the gun 82. into condition for tiring.

Actuation of trigger 114 moves sear 122 away from guide lug 104 to release sliding member 100. Compression of springs 110 and 112 drive the sliding member 100 to the left. This causes motion of cylinder 98 leftward upon piston 92. The result is compression of air between seal lip 94 and shuttle seal 134. As the sliding member moves to t-he left and approaches its left-most position the pressure buildup is sufficient to pop the shuttle seal 134 out of the end of the bore 96 into the larger chamber defined by bore 124. When the shuttle seal 134 pops out, the compressed air discharges into bore 124 and upward on both sides of guide bar 130. This popping out of the shuttle seal and the discharge of air produces a realistic sound. In both of the guns 1t) and 82, as the sliding member continues to move forward to its forwardmost position, a projection on the front of the piston engages in the concavity in the front of the shuttle seal. This forces the shuttle seal out, should maloperation have prevented its previous motion out of the cylinder bore.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, and in alternative embodiment disclosed, it is clear that this invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and changes within the scope of the invention and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is delined by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A popgun, said popgun comprising a gunlike structure having a Simulated gunlike exterior configuration and a sound-producing mechanism, said sound-producing mechanism comprising:

a piston rigidly supported within said gun, a rod spaced from said piston, a sliding member engaged upon said piston, said piston and said rod restraining said Cil sliding member to a substantially linear path, a cylinder on said sliding member, said cylinder having a bore therein, said bore sliding upon said piston, said piston being sealed with respect to said bore so as to inhibit the low of air between said piston and said piston bore, a spring positioned between said gun body and the sliding member, said spring urging said sliding member over said piston along a substantially linear path in such a direction as to cause compression of air into said cylinder by said piston; a shuttle seal in said sliding member, said shuttle seal being made of resilient material, said shuttle seal having a seal lip, said seal lip of said shuttle seal being adapted to engage in said bore of said cylinder, said shuttle seal being adapted to resiliently engage said bore within said cylinder until motion of said sliding member by said Spring causes said piston to compress air within said cylinder to a suicient extent to pop said shuttle seal from said cylinder;

means for moving said sliding member in a direction generally away from said piston so as to cause said spring to be compressed by contact with said sliding member;

means for iatching said sliding member in said position in which said spring is compressed, and

said rod engaging said shuttle seal when said sliding member is moved to said position so as to force said lip seal into engagement in said bore of said cylinder.

2. The popgun of claim 1 wherein a sounding chamber is positioned on said sliding member, said sounding chamber receiving discharged compressed air when said shuttle seal pops from said cylinder.

3. The popgun of claim 1 wherein Said means for iatching is a trigger, said trigger being pivotally mounted in said popgun, said trigger having a sear, said sear being adapted to engage said sliding member when said sliding member is in the compressed spring position along its linear path.

4. The popgun of claim 3 wherein said trigger is mounted with respect to said spring so that said spring urges said trigger toward its engaged position.

5. The popgun of claim 3 wherein said means or moving includes a finger pivotally mounted on said gun, said inger being adapted to engage said sliding member and being arranged to move said sliding member along its linear path to its trigger engaged position when said linger is rotated about its pivot.

6. The popgun of claim 5 wherein said popgun is in the form of a simulated rifle, and wherein said meansrfor moving also includes a lever pivotally mounted on said gun, said lever being connected to said finger so that actuation of said lever moves said sliding member to its tinger latch position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1949 Wolf 46-174 l/l956 Gaeke 46-175 

